The Union of Arab Securities Authorities (UASA) Board held its 19th annual meeting, hosted remotely by the Algerian Securities Commission (COSOB), and approved the Union’s 2024 financial statements, budget forecast, and 2025 training plan alongside discussion of the 2024 annual report and a proposed 2025 work plan. The Board also agreed to publish a guideline on the issuance of Islamic sukuk in Arab capital markets and several thematic studies on the UASA website once members’ feedback has been incorporated. Discussions focused on strengthening member cooperation on shared challenges including cybersecurity risk and financial technology developments, as well as sharing legislative and regulatory best practices. The Board reviewed progress by working groups implementing the 2021–2025 strategic plan across areas including capital market development, risk mitigation, liquidity and sustainability, investor education and awareness, financial inclusion, and fintech and cyber risks, and cleared for publication studies covering financial services companies’ dealings with foreign stock exchanges, facilitating due diligence and Know Your Customer requirements in financial and banking institutions, enhancing cooperation on fintech and cybersecurity, and enhancing financial inclusion. Governance updates included COSOB President Youcef Bouzenada receiving the presidency of the Union for its eighteenth session. Next steps include the General Secretariat publishing the sukuk guideline and the reviewed studies after reflecting members’ comments, and coordinating with existing working groups to draft UASA’s 2026–2030 strategic plan for submission at the Board’s next meeting, while contacting members to nominate representatives for working groups tasked with completing the fifth year of the current strategic plan.

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